Grand Jury

We’re happy to write that the “Texas Two”-related grand jury subpoenas of six Texas-based activists have all been withdrawn, meaning that we’re postponing the “People’s Fishing Expedition” till next time the State tries to get up in our business.

While we do not know the official reason behind the retractions at this point, we’d like to speculate that- from the perspective of the State- the strong resistance on the part of the Texas subpoenaed as well as the immediate show of solidarity from folks all over made the whole affair too much trouble for too little return.

At this time, a total of SIX people have been subpoenaed to the Grand Jury, which has been postponed to the week of November 17th. There has also been recent press activity serving the function of snitch-jacketing a Texas/New Orleans activist who, to our knowledge, is NOT the informant referenced in the court documents relating to this case. If and when we have factual information relating to this case, we will release it. In the meantime, please do not perpetuate unverified rumors- it only does the State’s work for them.

Over a month after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, the FBI continues to harass and intimidate activists who chose to voice their opinions about the status quo.

In the last ten days, five activists in Houston and Austin have received subpoenas to appear before a Federal Grand Jury in Minneapolis on October 21. Several other activists have had their homes, or those of parents and friends, visited by the FBI.

According to the FBI, the Texas activists, like the RNC Welcoming Committee, fell victim to an FBI informant (see http://twincities.indymedia.org/2008/sep/documents-fbi-and-doj-infiltration-austin-affinity-group). As a result, two Texans, David McKay and Bradley Crowder, remain incarcerated in Minneapolis, facing ten years each for allegedly possessing Molotov cocktails. Because the Grand Jury in the McKay–Crowder case has already returned an indictment, it is suspected that the current subpoenas relate to a separate case.

The subpoenas are only the latest step that the government has taken in its attempts to intimidate and silence activists protesting the RNC. Police actions in the Twin Cities have included house raids, pulling over and detaining activists at gunpoint, mass arrests, arbitrary searches, and vehicle impoundments.

The Texans ask that you stand with them in their continued struggle against the government’s war on activism and the First Amendment, the archaic and oppressive Grand Jury system, and the imprisonment, surveillance, harassment and intimidation of activists everywhere. They ask that you educate yourselves and your communities about the history and tactics of political repression, and how to resist it, especially in relation to Grand Juries. They also ask that you continue to raise money for all the activists who face long and costly legal battles resulting from the RNC protests.

Solidarity forever!

To find out more about supporting the Texas activists, contact: VanSolidarity (at) riseup.net